Yes this picture was my prompt.

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It was Sunday and the streets were quiet; everyone was happily catching up on their sleep; everyone but Kyuhyun. The said man was in his bed, eyes blank as he stared up at the ceiling. He was tired, inevitably so as he had not caught even a wink of sleep the night before. He had tossed and turned, piled up pillows around him and went to bed in his favorite pajamas but it seemed that nothing could compare to the warmth and comfort that only lying beside Sungmin could bring.

And thinking about his lover brought a sigh out of Kyuhyun. He bit his lip as he recalled the reason why he went to bed alone.

It had been small scuffle, something that they were both used to, but something happened. Kyuhyun had, in a fit of anger, called Sungmin names that made the other flinch, and the argument grew bigger until Sungmin could take it no longer and left their shared apartment.

Another sigh.

Calling Sungmin names were fine, since they both do that all the time, but what he had said yesterday was different, and a low blow. He was fully aware of Sungmin’s almost non-existent self-esteem and it was supposed to be his responsibility as Sungmin’s lover to bring that self-esteem up, not bring it crashing down.

Kyuhyun turned to wall beside the bed and eyed the clock that was ticking away. It was barely eight in the morning, but Kyuhyun knew that Sungmin would be up and about by now. The other had always followed a strict routine of exercising in the morning at eight thirty and was not going to let an argument with Kyuhyun ruin his plans, that much Kyuhyun knew.

But what he did not know was how to win the other back. He needed a plan and he needed it fast, because the longer this thing between them drags, the longer Kyuhyun would have to prolong his sleep.

He picked his phone up from the bedside table and stared at the wallpaper of his phone. It was a picture of him and Sungmin, taken years ago when they were just starting out. A smile graced Kyuhyun’s face as he remembered that particular day.

It had been a simple date, with some teasing and blushing from both of them. But at the end, Sungmin had pulled him to a hilltop and forced him to buy him a pink balloon filled with Helium. And when Sungmin had got his balloon, he undid the knot on the balloon and let a little Helium escape the balloon.

Confused, Kyuhyun had watched as Sungmin brought the balloon to his mouth and blew into it. When he was done, Sungmin had smiled, tied the knot of the balloon again and with a tinkling laughter, let the balloon loose.

Kyuhyun had called him mad then as they both watched the balloon ascend up into the sky and eventually burst from the change in the atmospheric pressure.

“You just wasted my money,” he had said as he faced Sungmin with a scowl. But Sungmin merely giggled and shook his head.

“That had been my wish,” Sungmin looked to the sky where his balloon had just been. “My wish to find my one true love.”

And Kyuhyun had promptly blushed like a teenage girl on her first kiss. “But it burst,” he protested. “That should mean that your wish ended, not that it came true.”

With a thoughtful hum, Sungmin gave him a smile. “Such a pessimist, but I guess you are right.”

And they had watched the sky together until the stars shone in the night.

Kyuhyun blinked. It must have been the lack of sleep that caused his brain to function so slowly but when it finally clicked, he could not help the huge grin that stretched across his face.

With a happy yell, he jumped out of bed to get ready, already forming his plan in his head as he prepared himself. He knew what he was going to do, and it was definitely going to win Sungmin back.

The next thing he knew, he all set. His laptop was switched on, his phone was in his hand and the house phone placed in his reach. He stretched his neck and cracked the stiffness out of his fingers. It was time to make some appointments.

-

Sungmin was never one to dwell on the negative side in life. He believed that whenever life dealt you some bitterness and hardship, there would be something worth the pain in the end. But as he strolled along the streets, he thought back to the argument he had with Kyuhyun the day before and scowled. Was it all just wishful thinking?

He briefly wondered what Kyuhyun was doing now, and as if previously dammed up, once he started thinking about Kyuhyun, he could not stop. Had the guy eaten? He knew Kyuhyun tended to neglect himself in favor of playing games. Had he slept? Sungmin silently wished he had not, for that meant that Kyuhyun cared enough to be bothered by their argument. Was Kyuhyun thinking about him too?

Sungmin stopped walking. He suddenly chuckled then brought his hand through his tousled hair. He was being childish, he realized. He was putting both himself and Kyuhyun through unnecessary trouble just because he felt a little insecure in their relationship.

So with that thought in mind, he pulled out his phone and was about to call and apologize for the day before when his phone rang. He checked the caller identity and smiled softly. Such skillful timing Kyuhyun had.

“Yes?” he brought his phone to his ear, controlling the urge to spew his apologies. He wanted to know what Kyuhyun had called him for.

A pause was heard on the other side and Sungmin frowned. Had the other called him by accident or was this one of his revenge plots?

“Min?” A tentative call, but Sungmin still beamed. Kyuhyun was a snarky, arrogant bastard. To have him calling out so softly like a scared child, Sungmin knew the other cared.

“Yeah?”

“Where are you?” It was asked slowly, as if afraid Sungmin would hang up once he heard the question and Sungmin stayed silent if only to tease the other for a short while. And it worked; a few short seconds was all it took for the other to call out again in that small voice. “Min?”

Sungmin gave up. He had to, or his heart would be too heavy-leaded with guilt to carry around. “I’m just across the street; near the bakery.” That will suffice. Kyuhyun knew what he was talking about. And sure enough, he heard the jostling of keys through the phone and the clicking of a lock.

“I’ll come get you, don’t leave.” Sungmin felt warmed that kyuhyun sounded a little rushed. “I have a surprise for you.”

Sungmin quirked a brow when he heard surprise. “Okay,” he replied, and leaned against a nearby wall as he started waiting. He loved surprises.

-

It took 15 minutes for Kyuhyun to find him but the complaint he had for the other was swallowed back when Kyuhyun gave him a look of regret and guilt. He replied with a smile and they both knew they were okay. But Sungmin still wanted to see the surprise and Kyuhyun still wanted to get something across. 

So Sungmin allowed the younger to lead them in silence to the place of the promised surprise.

And a surprise it was.

Kyuhyun had led them out of the inner-city and into an open field that looked to stretch on for miles. But that was not what had caught Sungmin’s attention. Instead, it was what was on the field that had him gaping.

It was huge, with its skin a darkened red splotched with paints of yellow and whatnot, what was in front of Sungmin was a balloon; a hot-air balloon.

“H-how did you get this?” that was the first thing out of his mouth. They were in a packed city and yet Kyuhyun had been able to get a hot-air balloon out of nowhere.

Kyuhyun gave him a shy smile. “Pulled some strings here and there and called some old friends,” he hesitantly took Sungmin’s hand into his. “Like it?”

Sungmin could only nod mutedly. He had never been on a hot-air balloon before; had never even thought about being on one.

“Come on.” Sensing the elder’s eagerness and impatience, Kyuhyun led them both to where the balloon was kept anchored to the ground with only a taut rope. By the balloon was a man that appeared to be in his late forties. Perhaps that was the man who owned the hot-air balloon.

And it was. Turns out it was a friend of Kyuhyun’s father and the man was happy to display his toy. Kyuhyun and the man made some small talk as they got the balloon ready to bring them to the skies.

It only took a few minutes but Sungmin was hardly patient by that time and was grumbling and whining to Kyuhyun who, though he might never admit, melted at the adorableness of his lover.

So with some safety talk that lasted 10 seconds, they were lifted up into the air by the balloon. And Sungmin could barely contain his excitement and thrill. He was squealing and laughing at all the small things like touching the leaves of a tree and spotting places from his bird’s eye view.

And Kyuhyun was enjoying watching Sungmin enjoy himself. Although Sungmin thought that the hot-air balloon itself was the surprise, Kyuhyun had actually planned something more. He needed Sungmin to understand certain things.

So he gently pried Sungmin’s attention from the world beneath them by encasing the other in a hug. Immediately he felt the fastening of Sungmin’s heartbeat and saw the blushing of Sungmin’s cheeks.

“There’s something else I want to show you.”

And in that moment Kyuhyun grinned and turned Sungmin around so that the other could see the balloons floating up into the sky. They were normal balloons a light shade of pink and Kyuhyun had asked the man below to release them when Kyuhyun messaged him, which he had done while Sungmin had been busy.

“Balloons?” Sungmin had enquired, looking past his shoulder to meet Kyuhyun’s warm gaze. “Why balloons?”

Kyuhyun knew Sungmin knew because Sungmin had a little grin on his face and a slight twinkle in his eyes. But he decided to humor his lover and shrugged nonchalantly. “Some time ago someone told me balloons could carry wishes to the sky and let the Gods hear them so that the wishes could be granted.”

Sungmin scowled at him. “Hey, I never said that.”

But Kyuhyun laughed. “I don’t remember mentioning any names.”

It caused Sungmin to blush and to glare at him, but they both knew it was for game. “It’ll burst though.” Kyuhyun knew what Sungmin was trying to say, but he shrugged. The balloons were already up and going; they just needed to wait.

It came a minute later, when one of the popped and Sungmin sighed. “I knew it,” he grumbled. From behind him, Kyuhyun thought of what he should say.

“That had been my wish to be a singer,” he finally mumbled out and answered Sungmin’s wide, questioning eyes with a finger to his lips.

So they waited and soon the second balloon popped.

“My wish to continue living and performing during my accident.”

Silence. A few minutes and then another balloon disappeared from sight.

"My wish for brothers."

Another pop.

“My wish for happiness.”

And now it was only left with a lone balloon, swaying with the breeze as both of them waited with bated breaths; one from anticipation and another from nervousness.

And finally the last balloon fell away with a soft pop and again the skies were clear. Sungmin waited and waited but Kyuhyun still said nothing. With an impatient sigh, he whirled around to frown at Kyuhyun. “What’s your last wish?”

But only a smirk met him and before he knew it warm hands had cupped his cheeks and his head was tilted. A split second later soft lips met his own and it was slow, brief and more innocent than any kiss he had shared with Kyuhyun.

“What was that for?” he spluttered when Kyuhyun moved away. Brown, innocent orbs stared into his own as Kyuhyun showed him the smallest resemblance of a pout.

“Just having my wish; is that bad?”

“Yes.” Boy did Sungmin enjoy the look of pure shock on Kyuhyun’s face when he said that. “Your last wish was a kiss? How anti-climatic.”

But it seemed Kyuhyun was full of ideas today and he shot Sungmin a mischievous smile. “I don’t exactly remember that being my last wish, though.”

Now it was time for Sungmin to be taken aback instead. He turned to search for any stray balloons that might have gotten away with the wind and he had missed it but no matter how hard he tried, he could not spot a single balloon in the sky.

“Don’t lie. You can’t make another wish without a balloon and I don’t see one anywhere.”

He heard a sigh Kyuhyun emitted before feeling lips on his temple. “So many wrong assumptions today, love.”

He will never admit, but that little term of endearment had sent his knees buckling just the slightest little.

He tried to shrug the explosion of warmth in his chest by distracting himself. “Then where is the balloon? Did you hide it?” He attempted to look past Kyuhyun’s shoulder to search but he was simply lacking in terms of height and had to give up. He huffed a little and slumped against Kyuhyun’s shoulder. “I give up. I can’t find it.”

Actually, he had not. He was simply going to use a much simpler method to find out. He tilted his head to meet Kyuhyun’s steady gaze and pouted, taking note to inch his eyes wider by just that few millimeters. He internally smirked in triumph when Kyuhyun’s gaze faltered and his features softened. He knew he had won.

“Cheater,” Kyuhyun grumbled. Of course he knew the tactic Sungmin had used on him. He sighed. Revealing everything would be a little too plain though. “I’ll tell you soon.”

“When is soon? I want to know now!” And Sungmin might have just stomped a little.

“I’ll tell you when this balloon pops,” and he pointed a careful finger upwards. And that was when Sungmin realized.

And panicked.

“Are you insane? We’ll die before this balloon pops, because it’s not supposed to!” Sungmin nearly screamed at him. “Bring us down right now! To heck with your last wish cause it will never come true!”

He was anxious to head down and touch land again now after hearing Kyuhyun’s crazy thoughts. And it seemed Kyuhyun was really crazy because he let out a short burst of laugh before pulling Sungmin towards him again.

“Kyuhyun, are you okay?” Sungmin was actually scared for the mental health of the boyfriend and he wondered it all that gaming had gone to his head.

But Kyuhyun shook his head and chuckled, coming down from his sudden high. “Now it wasn’t me who said my last wish won’t come true; it was you.” And Sungmin nodded fervently. He still wanted to live and he did not know how to operate the hot-air balloon.

Imagine his surprise when Kyuhyun claimed his lips in a sudden swoop and only broke away when Sungmin ran out of breath. Sungmin felt his heart relax when he realized they were descending. But he turned to the more important matter at hand.

“What is wrong with you?” He demanded, but Kyuhyun only smiled wider as if he had just achieved something wonderful.

“Nothing; I’m just feeling damn awesome that my wish won’t come true.”

And curse the other because now that they were safe, the curiosity was gnawing at him again. “And what is that, may I ask?” he hoped Kyuhyun answered.

Which he did. With a kiss and a wink as he replied, “I wished that our love for each other would end.”

Sungmin froze, and he felt his heart stop for a moment before thundering full force. Damn the kid for doing these kind of pranks on him. But he could not help but smile like an idiot and he had to thank the younger for doing these things for him.

“Kyuhyun.” He had to thank the younger and tell him how much he appreciated everything. How he planned all these out specially to bring them back together after that stupid argument.

“Yeah?” He had to acknowledge that Kyuhyun loved him back too, and that he was glad the other was there for him.

“……You’re an .”

Yeah, he’ll just do all those next time.

idanhobak

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Hey all! Okay this was supposed to be up a few days ago but my computer decided to troll me and I could not paste anything in the body so I had to do some searching online on how to solve the problem. But it's fixed now so yay!

So, did you guys like it? HAHAHA this was written at 1 am after hours of studying so it may be a bit non-sensical. Yay me. The bit where Sungmin let the Helium out a little and replaced it with oxygen was supposed to make the balloon pop earlier as oxygen has a higher -I'm not sure, density?- than Helium. It was a fun fact I stumbled upon. And pardon but the story had five balloons while the picture had four balloons but I included another in the story.

And I updated again even though it's supposed to be alternative because apparently tyf is too lazy to write and shall update when our exams are over.

All in all, hope you guys like it! Thanks for reading~ ^^

-oye